JULY: SECOND WEEK 175 



should be kept partly buried in the ground, or in a some- 

 what shady place until after germination; or a sheet of news- 

 paper, moistened, may be placed over the box during the 

 day and removed in the afternoon. 



After sowing, the seeds should be covered lightly. Seeds 

 the size of pansy seeds or smaller may be pressed in with a 

 brick or with the edge of a board and then barely covered 

 with a light sprinkling of prepared soil. Larger seeds, such 

 as gaillardias and pinks, may be covered a quarter of an 

 inch. 



Guard Against Damping Of 



One of the things most likely to cause trouble with the 

 little seedlings, especially in warm, damp weather, is damp- 

 ing off. As a preventive sprinkle flowers of sulphur over the 

 surface after the seeds are sown. Have a screen to put in 

 place over the seed bed or the frame. This may be covered 

 with cheesecloth, which lets a little light through, or with 

 ordinary building laths nailed an inch apart. The frame 

 should be supported well above the frame or bed to permit 

 free circulation of air. Sometimes sphagnum moss or some 

 other light mulch is laid over the surface of the soil after 

 planting to help keep it cool and moist; if this is done the 

 bed should be watched carefully daily and this mulching 

 removed when the seeds sprout. If left on even a day too 

 long it may result in tall, spindling plants. 



As soon as the little seedlings are well up they should be 

 given another thorough watering with a fine spray, as the 

 soil will be getting dry and crusted again. Then cultivate 

 the surface lightly between the rows and as soon as the first 

 true leaves appear thin the seedlings out where they are too 

 thick a dozen strong plants will give you much more sat- 

 isfaction than fifty poor ones. The insects that are likely 

 to cause trouble to the small seedlings may be guarded 

 against by sprinkling tobacco dust freely over the bed, and 

 by spraying occasionally with Bordeaux mixture. 



In four to eight weeks after sowing the seedlings will be 

 ready to transplant. Most of them, with protection, will 



